Nature – Life – Responsibility

It is apparent to me that if we do not care for ourselves, we will not be able to care for others, nor for any other species in this world.

The other day my friends told me about what amazing organisms bees are, and the incredible work they do. How each bee just lives for her task at hand and is deeply dedicated to it, how the whole hive works together to keep the queen alive and strong, how the whole system works in harmony, and how incredibly hardworking they are for all.

We marvel at nature, we enjoy nature, we swear on the beauty of nature and its natural rhythm, we seek nature in times of hardship or to relax in, we stand up for nature as we can see our interdependence with it and the responsibility that brings, but when it comes to ourselves and our part in the universe, we are completely ignorant of our own rhythm and purpose. Above all, we remain ignorant of the responsibility we have within the cycle of the all, starting with the planet we are living on, our mother earth, out to the limitlessness of the universe.

We do what we like and live our life that only holds ‘me’ in the centre and completely ignore that there are not only another 7 billion people in this world, but that the planet we live on is in the grandness of the universe and thus an integral part of the universe; part of this clockwork of interdependence.

There is so much beauty in nature and around us but we do not see it for what it truly is as we do not appreciate and understand our part in it. We see ourselves as detached from all that is going on around us, so that we can behave like little bubbles that are hermetically separated from everything around us, unless we choose it differently.

But this is not how the world or the universe works. We are part of it and thus we always play a part in it in every moment of our life, whether we want it or not.

I have always loved nature, from the gigantic landscapes of the big continents like Africa and America to the littlest detail of a flower bursting into bloom; from graceful elephants and joyful dolphins, to the busy bee humming in the scented meadow and trees. I have always stood in awe, appreciating what a beautiful planet we are living on BUT, and this is a big but, I didn’t ever appreciate myself in it, or what I bring to the world. I somehow knew I was part of this grandness but did not see how.

Through the understanding that I matter, and matter greatly in this world, by the mere fact that I am part of this gigantic universe, I started to invest greatly in myself, not by being selfish, but by learning to be self-loving and self-caring. For, in truth, I am unable to support anybody else if I am unable to help myself. My every choice either contributes to, or diminishes, the all that we belong to.

This turning towards and taking deep loving care of myself has rekindled the fullness of my whole being, it has brought me the understanding of my part in this world, and everybody else’s, and has made me aware of the responsibility we all have.

Today I still love nature and I am in awe of its magic but I do not stand in separation to it, feeling it is grander than me. Today I can feel my part in it and how, through the reflection of nature, I can be confirmed in my own grandness and/or be reminded of this grandness I am from.

Our interdependence comes with responsibility.

However, if we do not have appreciation for ourselves, we will always stay an admirer of nature, but in truth will keep using it and abusing it instead of living in it and knowing how to be part of it and live accordingly.

Related

Post navigation

878 thoughts on “Nature – Life – Responsibility”

Comment navigation

I watched the remake of The Lion King yesterday which was interesting to note that even in the ‘care-free’ wayward part there was still a world that needed care and responsibility to be reclaimed. However the illusion that the care-free, my actions affect no one is one that we are living as a human race. All the while our weather, environment, social, mental, emotional and physical health is saying otherwise. It has been a huge blessing to take responsibility for my actions.

I feel that what you are saying Judith carries a lot of truth in the feeling of being separated from nature, that’s when we abuse it and ultimately ourselves. We live in such disregard and disrespect of this planet. Is it because deep within we know this is not the plane of life that we come from?

This is the bit that really gets me that we as a race of human-beings do not seem to comprehend that there is a universe and that we are a part of it. We seem to live our lives in ignorance of this fact. This subject should be carefully studied as part of our education, to leave this huge topic out shows just how backwards we really are. We should not leave the subject of the universe to the scientists as the universe affects everything and we are very much apart of the everything.

Reading your blog today I found it as a bit of a wake up call, one that asked me to deepen into my responsibility by feeling the all I am a part of. Nature, humanity and the universe, what an enormity I have an effect on.

“It is apparent to me that if we do not care for ourselves, we will not be able to care for others, nor for any other species in this world.” That is so true, we have to put our own oxygen masks on before we seek to help others.

Everything affects everything and we are never separate. If we stay detached from nature, admiring it and not connecting to the very real reflection it is offering us, then we miss the magic of the Universe that is in plain sight.

If animals are part of nature and our souls are from the stars, then the universe is our nature – the universe being the body of God. Our true way is therefore universal, understanding and being part of the cycles and vibrations of the stars, planets, and the space holding it all. A true Universal Medicine for us to return to as we make our way back to our divine origins.

I have come to see that there is nothing in nature that is not offering us a lesson, but sometimes those lessons are so subtle, that we in our human rush, totally overlook them. Just to sit and watch how ants move from one place to another, supporting each other as they surmount some huge obstacles, to observing bees in their commitment to their purpose and to marvel that from one tiny seed can grow a huge tree, nature is broadcasting the possibilities of our lives to us in every single moment. Nature is definitely not separate from us, but naturally a part of our lives, as we are a part of it.

I agree with you Ingrid that nature and the universe are always offering us a lesson or reflection, and sometimes they are very subtle and sometimes not so. To ignore what is being presented as we often do shows our arrogance and disdain towards ourselves and others, and that is why it is easy to be so abusive towards each other because we fail to see the magic or heed the lessons being offered.

I would say we have the answer already right in front of our eyes. We entertain ourselves, distract ourselves, eat and drink a lot and try to survive. But we deeply miss to love and be loved and to deeply care and be deeply cared for.

It is easy to react when we see that humanity doesn’t seem to care for ourselves and nature. But when we understand that if we are not able to care for ourselves we are then not able to care for others and the world around us, this gives us clarity on why the world is the way it is. Also, when we see what our part is in the whole picture, it is clear that we all have a responsibility to care, love and nurture ourselves so we are able to reflect this to the rest of the world.

Yes that is so simple and yet so profound. If we do not care for ourselves then it is easy to understand why the world is as it is. If we step back and focus on being kind, caring and responsible in our own lives then, over time, this will have an effect on the whole.

Esther great blog and it is totally fascinating how we have removed ourselves out of the equation of cycles and the important part that we have as being part of the whole. When we expose this we have to expose the fact that it’s not all about us and our world, and not many a prepared to let of our self identifying ways. I know I struggle with it as I have invested so much into it and everything around us is telling us to be this.

I agree with you Natalie, as long as we make life about ourself and our immediate world we will keep running in the same circles and nothing will truly change. Reflecting our life back to us and to keep asking ourselves, do I live to the deepest truth that I know, is a start to bring balance back to this very out of sorts life we currently live.

In my first University degree I studied animal behaviour and amongst the animals that we studied was the Bee. Bees are fascinating insects – not only do they have specific ways of communication amongst themselves which include specifically choreographed ‘dances’ or movements to communicate location of pollen areas, the use of specific angles and movement (exact degrees of angles), delegation of roles and jobs, and delegation of areas in the hive. An absolute divine geometry but also always done with complete harmony and always working together. This is a valuable example for us all on how we could do it too – if we all allowed ourselves to be inspired to live and work in brotherhood.

WE have a part to play in what nature provides and the quality that is in that – we also have a responsibility in how we discard those things that we make from nature – for everything comes from it and goes back to it – so all the plastic bags and containers – everything we throw away- where is it actually going to end up and how can we leave as little negative impact on this planet as possible?

Spot on Elaine, How we are in our every day will affect nature, and so this is something to consider and to think about as it might be playing a part of the clearing cycles nature goes through – perhaps we need to consider if we are behaving in a way that is supporting or not supporting the ourselves, our brothers and the very nature that we live in and with.

Staying as an “admirer of nature”, keeps nature at a distance from us. It is almost as if we want to be close enough to enjoy the beauty but far enough away to be absolved from anything that is done to harm it. But the truth is, we are intrinsically intertwined and how we live affects every part of nature, but at the same time nature is always offering us many lessons on how we can live our lives, more naturally.

Yes, we want to have it all and we want to own it because we do not understand that we are part of a grand whole. In being part of a whole there is nothing we need to hold onto, own, conquer etc. because we have it all already and are complete by the simple fact that we are part of the all.

The distance we allow between ourselves and nature speaks volumes. It could be said that it’s part of an attitude humans hold of being tourists on planet earth, enjoying the scenery but not getting close enough to truly feel what we are a part of, a grander interdependence, and the responsibility that comes with that.

Your description of humans ‘being tourists on planet earth’ had me smiling at the truth of what you have shared, but at the same time, I could feel a sadness at this reality. I wonder if we fear getting too close to nature just in case, we are offered a reflection that says something in our lives needs to change, as in doing so we may have to let go of our comforts? Nature is such a wise and truth-full teacher, so how much are we prepared to be the willing and forever student?

I love the reflection of the bees, just doing their job, and continue to do so, no comparison or jealousy knowing that they all have a part to play that is equally important to bring the whole, a strong commitment to what is true.

When we think we are insignificant it is easy to abuse and disregard ourselves and the world and space around us. It is through appreciating our part in it all that we will much easier take responsibility for what we are actually putting out to the all.